Sometimes all it takes is a look in the mirror, a brief moment of disbelief followed by a vow to change. For Stu Daniels, that moment of clarity was 2 years ago. He was tipping the scales at 375 pounds and was ready to commit to the lifestyle change he needed. Being a resident of Moorestown, he wanted to join the new Virtua Center for HealthFitness, but it was not yet opened.

The Virtua Moorestown Center for HealthFitness, which opened in December 2012, is a state-of-the-art fitness center that offers a wide range of cardiovascular and weight-training equipment as well as a variety of classes and training experiences. The Center is staffed by some of the best training personnel around.

Stu decided to bridge the gap in time with a local gym. “I started with a fitness center down the street and teamed up with a personal trainer there,” says Stu. It wasn’t long before he made the switch to the Center for HealthFitness: “I was excited to find out that the trainer from my first gym would be making the transition with me,” says Stu.

His training may have saved his life in more ways than one: “After one of my sessions, I had an x-ray for some chest discomfort I had while working out. That is when the doctors discovered lung cancer,” says Stu. Luckily, the cancer was discovered very early and taken care of quickly.

Now Stu is back on track with his fitness routine. “I work from home, so I can find time to get to the gym most days,” says Stu. “What started with a diet has become my new way of living. I have a new trainer that is certified to work with cancer patients and have already lost over 150 pounds.”